Spruce goose

[TacitBlue]

On this day in 1947, it flew for the first time.http://www.historychannel.com/tdih/tdih.jsp?month=10272963&day=10272967&cat=10272946

[H]

The 1st time? It was my understanding that it was the only time.  ???

[ozzy72]

Well that was the first time H... and the last

[Scorpiоn]

As I understand it, there was much scrutiny about whether She would ever get into the air, and Hughes only flew Her when all but one reporter left.  Any reason why Hughes was so allergic to the media?  (Although I doubt I'd be much different)

[H]

It's bad enough to be grounded... but permanently dry-docked; I've heard people complain about airfares... try a single $23M flight (and consider that it was a 1940's rate)!

Any reason why Hughes was so allergic to the media?  (Although I doubt I'd be much different)

Rather think you answered your own question.

[ozzy72]

But unlike the rest of us mortals Howard could afford it

[H]

But unlike the rest of us mortals Howard could afford it

Of course, you and I weren't even around to afford anything back then, let alone now.

[ozzy72]

My dad was but he was just out of nappies at that time

[TSC.]

Your dad was able to afford it when he was just out of nappies Ozzy???

Pretty cool

TSC.

[Theis]

it flew three times!






























The first, only and last time!

[H]

it flew three times! The first, only and last time!

Then it flew at least five times since that means it also flew "no other" time as well as the "one" time (at least six if not equating "single" as "one").

[Hagar]

The story goes that Mr Hughes flew the Goose during a break in a trial accusing him of cheating the US Government out of millions of dollars. The fact that it actually flew effectively silenced his critics & the case was dropped. It's been suggested that the experience scared him so much that he never attempted it again & wouldn't allow anyone else to do so. I don't know how true that is.

I went all the way to LA partly to see the Spruce Goose in its air conditioned hangar only to find that it had been moved a couple of weeks beforehand. The chap in the ticket office collapsed with a fit of the giggles when I complained that they did this without asking my permission.

[dcunning30]

I seen it.  I found actually viewing it as anticlimatic.  Seeing the soviet sub was more interesting IMHO.

[RichieB16]

I got to see it a few years ago when it was first put on display in McMinnville, Oregon and it was an amazing site.  I have been dying to go and see it again but haven't had the chance (its a couple hours from my house).

It's been suggested that the experience scared him so much that he never attempted it again & wouldn't allow anyone else to do so.

I always heard that it flew very well, I heard that he claimed that it took off without him planning on it.  Although I don't believe that, that was his claim.  I know that the FAA (or whoever certified aircraft back then) had told him NOT to fly it because they felt it was unsafe.  So, this claim could have been to keep him out om trouble.

But, I've never heard thart flying it scared him.

[Hagar]

But, I've never heard thart flying it scared him.

That surprises me. Maybe time & various documentaries & films on the subject of this fascinating character have clouded the issue. As with many other similar events it's become more of a legend than fact. The 'Spruce Goose' was actually built mainly of birch & many people thought of it as a 'flying lumberyard'. It was well behind schedule & no longer required, becoming an embarrassing 'white elephant' to the government & Hughes himself. It's debatable whether that famous hop on November 2, 1947 (two whole years after the end of WWII which it had been intended for) could be considered a real flight at all as it would still have been in "ground effect". I can't see how anyone could comment on its handling qualities after a short hop or say that it flew well. Only Hughes himself would have known anything about that & he wasn't telling.

There were many theories as to why Hughes never flew it again although by doing so he had effectively silenced his many critics & brought an end to the Federal investigation into his business affairs, many of which were dubious to say the least. This was probably a convenient end to the whole embarrassing affair. He had been accused of cheating the US Government out of millions of dollars & although extremely wealthy this was a very serious charge indeed. I think he was extremely lucky to get away with it. It was suggested that there was a noticeable & unexplained vibration & lack of control effectiveness which worried him during the test. It's also been suggested that it was considerably underpowered. Don't forget it was designed to carry up to 700 fully equipped troops & would have been lightly loaded during the "test flight".